BSU 1-29-16

DN FRIDAY, JAN. 29, 2016

Finding Inspiration

BALL

STATE

Tomorrow at Worthen

#PackTheNestSaturday

Fashion student creates brand for himself

MEN’S BASKETBALL

SEE PAGE 4

Saturday, Jan. 30 @ 1 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 30 @ 4 p.m.

Frisbee Dogs at Halftime!

Nest T-Shirt for first 250 students

100 STUDENT REWARDS POINTS

200 STUDENT REWARDS POINTS

VS. OHIO

VS. AKRON

THE DAILY NEWS

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

SAVE THE DATE: Social Media Night, MBB vs. Ohio, Feb. 9

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Student to host sit-in at board meeting Trustees’ session will be at 3 p.m. in Student Center

dent Paul W. Ferguson’s resignation Monday. Carli Hendershot, a senior political science major, made a Facebook event for the sitin at the 3 p.m. meeting.

Hendershot said she has heard many concerns being voiced by students and faculty about the board’s lack of transparency about Ferguson’s resignation.

She said people are worried about the university’s reputation and feel there are secrets being withheld, as well as just a general dis-

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KARA BERG AND KAITLIN LANGE news@bsudailynews.com

A student is hosting a non-violent sit-in at the Board of Trustees meeting today.

This is the first time the board has met since they approved former Presi-

trust of the board.

“I would really like to get an answer from the Board of Trustees, but I realize that may not happen,” Hendershot said. “Really, what I would like to have happen is an open discussion with the board.”

At their meeting, the trustees will be approving the minutes from their meeting on Monday.

Meetings start at 9 a.m. in the Forum Room at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center, starting with the Audit and

Compliance Committee. The regular meeting will be at 3 p.m. in the Founders Room.

All meetings are open to the public, except for executive sessions.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for hiring a president and approving presidential resignations, like Ferguson’s.

Appointed by the governor, the nine-member board makes most of the important decisions for the university. According to the Ball State website, the

Bet

DOWN

Audit and Compliance Committee: 9 a.m., Forum Room Academic and Student Affairs Committee: 9:15 a.m., Forum Room Finance, Facilities and Planning Committees: 10:15 a.m., Forum Room Executive Session of Finance, Facilities and Planning Committees (closed to the public): 10:30 a.m., Forum Room Regular Meeting: 3 p.m., Founders Room

Kin

Ave

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Streets that will have a speed limit change Petty Road

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New York Ave

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All major campus roads to receive reduced speed limit in next few weeks |

MEETING SCHEDULE

DN GRAPHIC FIRST LASTNAME

SLOW REBECCA KIZER ADMINISTRATION REPORTER

members “manage, control and operate Ball State,” and “possess all the powers in order to effectively operate the affairs of Ball State.”

During the today’s meeting, the trustees will be discussing the annual report of investment transactions for 2015, plans for the College of Health and the BSU Achievement App. It’s unlikely they will disclose any more information about Ferguson’s resignation because of the wording of the severance agreement.

rjkizer@bsu.edu

Me

speed limit reduction will take effect on Ball State streets in the next two to three weeks after a decision by Muncie city officials and the university.

All the major campus roads — including McKinley Avenue, Neely Avenue, Riverside Avenue, University Avenue and Talley Avenue — will have a new speed limit of 20 miles per hour, a change Riverside Ave from their current 30 miles per hour speed limit.

adow Lane

See SPEED, page 3 Dicks St

WHAT COULD GET AROUND CAMPUS FASTER THAN YOUR DRIVING? - GRIZZLY BEAR (30-35 MPH)

- COYOTE (35-40 MPH)

- JACKRABBIT (40-45 MPH)

- USAIN BOLT, OLYMPIC RUNNER (COULD RUN 28 MPH)

University Ave

Talley Ave

- PELICAN (25-30 MPH)

SOURCE: livescience.com, texas.gov

FEET 0

-BLUE JAYS (25-30 MPH)

N

500

Gilbert St

SOURCE: Jim Lowe

DN GRAPHIC RACHEL BRAMMER

Interim president has no WENNING, SNEAD RETURN CAMPUS FOR WORKOUT plans to apply long-term TO Ball State alumni Position will take about 7 months to fill, King says

|

KAITLIN LANGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF editor@bsudailynews.com

Terry King, the acting president, said today he does not have plans to apply for president.

“I really enjoy my job as provost, and I think a new president will come in with new ideas, new energy and fresh approaches to things, so I’m looking forward to that,” King said.

Although he said the hir-

ing timeline for a new president is up to the Board of Trustees, he estimated it would take around the same amount of time to fill the position as when the university hired former President Paul W. Ferguson – seven months.

The trustees will have a regular meeting today.

In the meantime, King plans to choose an interim provost to fill his role by this weekend. The provost is mainly responsible for overseeing academic affairs.

“This university is in a really good place with a lot of great momentum right now,” King said. “Academic programs are do-

ing extraordinarily well, students are active and enjoying their great experiences and [there is] lots of community engagement. My priority is making sure this stuff keeps moving ahead.”

King has been at the university for nearly 10 years and functioned as the interim president while the university searched for a new president following Jo Ann Gora’s retirement. He sent out an email to alumni, faculty, staff and students today explaining the university’s commitment to moving forward.

See KING, page 3

run routes with current players

|

ROBBY GENERAL SPORTS EDITOR sports@bsudailynews.com

Keith Wenning and Willie Snead made history together playing in a Ball State uniform. Together, the duo racked up the completions, yards and touchdowns, becoming one of the most prolific quarterback-receiver combos in the nation.

Now they’re both playing in the NFL, Wenning with the Cincinnati Bengals and Snead with the New Orleans Saints.

DN PHOTO COLIN GRYLLS

Keith Wenning and Willie Snead are both former Ball State football players who now play in the NFL. The two got together on Wednesday at the Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center.

When Wenning wanted to get in some throwing on Wednesday, one text is all it took for Snead to join him for a workout on Ball State’s campus. The throwing session brought in current and former Cardinals to work on their craft.

“The last couple of years, I’ve always tried to come back and get some work here,” Wenning said. “I’m looking for anyone to come in and run some routes with me because I’m trying to throw as much as possible.”

THE PULSE OF BALL STATE

See NFL, page 7

THE PULSE OF BALL STATE

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: AN OPEN LETTER TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES PG. 2 THE PULSE OF BALL STATE

VOL. 95, ISSUE 51

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1. CLOUDY

FORECAST

Temperatures are going to warm up a bit for this weekend and possibly next week with some rain showers as well.

-Kendra Rauner, WCRD weather forecaster

TODAY

Partly cloudy

High: 35 Low: 30 2. MOSTLY CLOUDY

3. PARTLY CLOUDY

4. MOSTLY SUNNY

5. SUNNY

THE PULSE OF BALL STATE

PAGE 2 | FRIDAY, JAN. 29, 2016 | THE BALL STATE DAILY NEWS | BALLSTATEDAILY.COM

THE SKINNY

THE FORECAST

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Everyone is shocked and disturbed by the sudden departure of President Paul W. Ferguson after such a short tenure. While it’s true that personnel come and go at large institutions all the time, your choice to cloak your actions in secrecy is particularly appalling and has the potential to do untold damage to the university and its students and faculty.

We faculty may be used to presidents coming and going, and as bothered as we are by your actions, I’m writing today to share with you the effect your choice to cloak the matter in secrecy is having on my students.

They were very eager this week to talk about what happened and they are outraged most of all by the secrecy involved. They asked me a lot of questions, none of which I or any other faculty member could answer definitively.

Here are some of them: “Is BSU in trouble?” “Will programs be cut?” ”Will the master’s degree being developed by my major department, a primary reason I chose BSU, still go through?” “Will we continue to be a quality university when presidents and programs could be removed at any time?” and “How can we trust anything the administration says?”

The feeling of anxiety was palpable in my classes. The sense overall was that they can’t count on BSU to go through with anything it promises

EDITORIAL BOARD

SATURDAY Partly cloudy High: 47 Low: 37

« The feeling of anxiety

was palpable in my classes.

The sense overall was that they can’t count on BSU to go through with anything it promises prospective and current students because people can be dismissed and programs canceled without warning and without explanation. »

SUNDAY Rain showers High: 55 Low: 43 MONDAY Cloudy High: 47 Low: 38 TUESDAY Rain showers High: 53 Low: 35

SERVICE DIRECTORY

TIMOTHY BERG, an assistant professor of honors humanities DN FILE PHOTO BREANNA DAUGHERTY

prospective and current students because people can be dismissed and programs canceled without warning and without explanation. That creates a great deal of uncertainty that can’t help but have a negative effect on our enrollments.

Several noted they may look to transfer. Secretive acts such as yours will hurt enrollment and our reputation — and unnecessarily so.

Acting President Terry King tried to reassure them in an email that the initiatives approved by you under President Ferguson would remain and go forward. Trustee Tom Bracken undermined that by saying to the Daily News, “I think everything will be evaluated.” My students com-

mented on King’s email as well, saying that his reassurances mean nothing because you, the Trustees, can change anyone and anything at anytime, without explanation.

All of these problems are created more by the secrecy you’ve chosen to employ in this matter. If this were a private company, I couldn’t write this letter. But as a state-run, taxpayer and tuition-supported institution, you are responsible to those stakeholders, as well as to the current students, faculty and staff, for being open about major decisions such as this.

If you had a reason to desire President Ferguson’s departure, say what that was. If he had a reason to want

out that was completely his own doing, let him say so. As the Daily News pointed out with an insightful reading of the termination contract, the terms seem to point to you wanting him to resign.

You have to come clean about why this decision was made. The future of our reputation is on the line, and you are seriously damaging our fine institution with secrecy. That secrecy is against the best values that we strive to embody at Ball State University.

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Letters to the editor must be signed and appear as space permits each day.

The limit for letter length is approximately 350 words. All letters must be typed.

The editor reserves the right to edit and

condense submissions.

The name of the author is usually published but may be withheld for compelling reasons, such as physical harm to the author. The editor decides this on an individual basis and must

consult the writer before withholding the name.

Those interested in submitting a letter can do so by emailing opinion@bsudailynews.com or editor@bsudailynews.com

Sincerely, Dr. Timothy Berg Assistant Professor of Honors Humanities The Honors College

FORUM POLICY The Daily News forum page aims to stimulate discussion in the Ball State community. The Daily News welcomes reader viewpoints and offers three vehicles of expression for reader opinions: letters to the editor, guest

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COPY DIRECTOR Melissa Jones ASST. COPY DIRECTOR Sophie Gordon

Get connected with campus 24/7 Crossword ACROSS 1 “If I may interject ... ” 5 Stops to smell the roses 11 Briquette’s fate 14 Passed 15 Potassium hydroxide, e.g.

16 Siete menos seis 17 Threat to the queen’s cotton?

19 Water source 20 Hersey’s “A Bell for __” 21 Wind dir.

22 Call forth 24 Help for a sad BFF 26 Subject of the first picture in Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” 27 Satan’s broadcaster?

34 Physical, e.g.

35 On the move 36 Plane compartment 37 Told, as an elaborate tale 38 Repeating rhythmic pattern used in Cuban music 39 Balderdash 40 39-Down carrier 41 Deli equipment 42 Protected at sea 43 Really unpopular fish?

EDITED BY RICH NORRIS AND JOYCE LEWIS

46 Rushed 47 Mauna __ 48 Expert 49 “__ Kapital” 52 Make whole 56 First woman to land a triple axel in competition 57 1958 Orson Welles film noir ... and a hint to 17-, 27- and 43-Across 60 Revival prefix 61 Overshoot 62 Bear’s cry 63 Philosophy 64 Trinket 65 Town near Padua DOWN 1 Indian district with three World Heritage Sites 2 Rain protection 3 Irish musician with four Grammys 4 Transitional period 5 Hand analog 6 Pub array 7 Oahu entertainers 8 Keep 9 Manning taking a hike 10 26-Across feature 11 Lot occupant 12 Part of Oregon’s border 13 Last thing in Pandora’s box 18 Relax

Sudoku CROSSWORD SOLUTION FOR WEDNESDAY

23 “Cross my heart,” e.g.

25 Round ornament 26 Vague 27 John of Scotch fame 28 Clears 29 Ed Norton catchphrase on “The Honeymooners” 30 Firm 31 Climate control systs.

32 Jewel thief portrayer in “The Pink Panther” 33 They’re often bent 39 About 125 million people 41 Not objective 44 Halogen suffix 45 High hair style 48 Revealing apparel 49 Household glue brand 50 Served very well 51 __ butter 53 “Variations on ‘America’” composer 54 List 55 How she looks in Paris?

58 Good Grips kitchenware brand 59 “They say there is divinity in __ numbers”: Falstaff

| BY MICHAEL MEPHAM

SUDOKU SOLUTION FOR WEDNESDAY

FRIDAY, JAN. 29, 2016 | THE BALL STATE DAILY NEWS | BALLSTATEDAILY.COM | PAGE 3

NEWS

‘FIRST PERSON: SEEING AMERICA’

DN PHOTOS CURTIS SILVEY AND SAMANTHA BRAMMER

Ensemble Galilei performed in “First Person: Seeing America” on Thursday at John R. Emens Auditorium.

The performance combined photographs from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, music of Ensemble Galilei and narration by NPR’s Neal Conan and actress Lily Knight.

Photos from the Civil War and the Great Depression were included in the show.

Our mission is simple: SPEED:

| CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Jim Lowe, Ball State’s associate vice president for Facilities Planning and Management, suggested the reductions with the help of the Muncie Public Safety Department to Duke Campbell about a month ago. Campbell serves as the Muncie Superintendent of the Department of Public Works.

Lowe worked with both Campbell and Mayor Dennis Tyler to create a plan to increase safety on campus and throughout Muncie.

He said they agreed that a speed limit reduction is the best change at this time to protect students.

“It’s a school zone. [Campbell] and the mayor are in agreement,” Lowe said.

“And this will be a great improvement for student and faculty safety.”

The development of Ball State and the Village is one of the main reasons Lowe said he saw a need for a change. As more buildings, businesses and apartment buildings are added to and around campus, more pedestrians will be found on Ball State streets.

“We developed, we matured,” Lowe said. “There’s crossings everywhere where you could have a potential for impact.”

The new speed limits will help prevent accidents, Lowe said, because stopping distance decreases for vehicles the slower they are

going. Drivers will be able to come to a stop faster if a pedestrian walks in front of them, as well as avoid collisions with other cars.

But even with the focus on safety, Ball State students have reacted in different ways to the decision.

Luke Owens, a junior philosophy and religious studies major, identified himself as primarily a pedestrian when it comes to navigating Ball State’s campus. He said he almost always feels safe walking on Ball State streets and doesn’t understand the need for a decreased speed limit.

“I don’t see too many reckless drivers, and I’ve never felt scared for my life or a need for a lower speed limit,” Owens said. “It just seems over the top. Why not change to 25 before changing to 20?”

Owens said he doesn’t think the change will do much good. He said drivers will continue to go whatever speeds they are used to.

“People need to get to class,” Owens said. “And even though I don’t drive, I know driving 20 would annoy me.”

Another student, senior exercise science major Olivia Horvath, drives to campus every day. She has commuted from her home in Cowan, Ind., since her freshman year at Ball State.

Horvath is a commuter ambassador for Ball State.

She works with freshman students who commute to campus and helps them adjust to college life.

With herself and her commuter students in mind, Horvath said she doesn’t necessarily see many problems with the new speed limit.

“I don’t think it will really make a huge difference,” Horvath said. “I come to campus at 7:30 [a.m.] every day and I almost never hit 30 on McKinley anyway. I don’t think it’ll affect my drive time here.”

Horvath also said she doesn’t think her commuter students will care or be affected when driving to campus, because they rarely drive on the affected roads.

“As a commuter, by the time you hit McKinley, you’re pulling into a parking lot,” Horvath said. “I don’t think hardly any of my students ever drive through the middle of campus.”

Like Owens, Horvath said she thinks students, faculty or anyone driving through campus will continue to go whatever speed surrounding traffic will allow them to go, regardless of a speed limit change.

“People speed. Yeah, I thought that 25 miles per hour would make more sense before jumping to 20, but they’re not that different,” Horvath said. “If the speed limit’s 20, it’s basically 25. And 25 is really 30.”

After the new speed limits are introduced, the city of Muncie will have a 90day trial period before the city council makes its final decision on whether the new regulations are permanent or not.

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WALK DN PHOTO KELLEN HAZELIP

Terry King, Ball State’s current interim president, estimates it could take around seven months to fill the position of president. King plans to choose an interim provost to fill his role by this weekend.

KING:

| CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 While he said administration will experience a “bump in the road” as positions are

filled, there shouldn’t be any major changes. Ferguson’s Centennial Commitment was a refresh of the strategic plan.

“It’s not a matter of changing anything or building on anything new, it’s just a matter of con-

tinuing what we’re doing,” King said. “In another several years, we’ll be ready to do our next strategic plan. We’re right at the place we want to be and I’m really excited for that.”

TO BALL STATE .COM

3618 W. Fox Ridge Lane, Muncie (765) 896-8105 walktoballstate.com

PAGE 4 | FRIDAY, JAN. 29 2016 | THE BALL STATE DAILY NEWS | BALLSTATEDAILY.COM

FEATURES

DESIGNING FOR THE

UNDERDOGS

DN PHOTO MCKENZIE PRICE

Christopher Atkinson, a junior fashion design major, knew he wanted to start taking fashion and design seriously at the age of 10. He was able to find inspiration in everyday things.

Junior fashion designer has serious, creative approach to clothing

|

MCKENZIE PRICE GENERAL REPORTER mlprice@bsu.edu

Ball State junior Christopher Atkinson knew at an early age that design was going to be his future.

At just 10 years old, Atkinson decided to start taking fashion and design seriously, creating travel bags and finding inspiration in the everyday things he was involved in.

“I was always interested in

how things were designed. Not necessarily how clothes were designed, but even things like communication,” he said. “I have always liked movement.”

Now, with more than 10 years of design under his belt, Atkinson has built a name for himself here on campus and in the Indiana area, entering different fashion shows on campus and building relationships with fashion department professors and students.

Fashion illustration professor Valerie Birk said Atkinson is “very serious” and creative with his approach.

When it comes to Atkinson’s designs, he said he believes in mixing

‘American Idol’ gives ‘false hope’ to young singers Talent search show stresses popularity over capability

‘AMERICAN IDOL’ WINNERS SEASON 8

Kris Allen Lee DeWyze

|

SEASON 9

TYLER WALKER GENERAL REPORTER tjwalker@bsu.edu

SEASON 10

Scotty McCreery

SEASON 11

Phillip Phillips

“American Idol” is nothing new. While arguably the most popular talent search show over the past decade is on its last leg, it is important to remember the impact it had in its 15 season run.

For stars like Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson, the show was a major success.

Each were able not only win multiple Grammys, but also became household names in the process. For the vast majority of participants, however, the show was not nearly as successful.

In the early rounds, the strange and seemingly untalented contestants were put on display. In later rounds, popularity reigned supreme.

Only a small percentage of those even made it onto the actual show. Despite the success of the show, it did not really change any ideals but rather continued the cycle of talent competitions.

What “American Idol” and other talent shows like it have done is push the idea that it is all about talent, said Dom Caristi, professor of telecommunications.

“They have a talent and it doesn’t take thousands and thousands of hours of rehearsal,” he said. “It doesn’t take working in small clubs for years and years to refine your art. What it takes is standing on a stage and making sure that a music industry executive sees you.”

Cecelia Westbrook, a sophomore English and German major, has watched the show for years and noticed this trend as well.

“The show gives almost a false hope for young singers,” she said. “The show makes the whole thing look so easy and simplified. ... It depicts the

SEASON 12

Candice Glover

SEASON 13

Caleb Johnson

SEASON 14

Nick Fradini

golden ticket to Hollywood as being so easily obtainable.”

This “golden ticket” is really a cycle, one which is no new concept, as Caristi is quick to point out. This type of show and the dream that manifests with it have even predated television. “Going back to the 1940s, we had something called ‘Amateur Hour’ which started in radio and then went over to television.”

There have been numerous shows similar to “American Idol.” Each of these shows were popular in their own right and never did more than to promote the dream of instant stardom and making money, Caristi said.

“American Idol” was not a bad show, Caristi said.

“It caused no harm to the entertainment industry,” he said. “It was an hour-long show people got enjoyment from, and it made money.”

The issue seems to be that people believe it was oneof-a-kind, that 15 years ago when “American Idol” first graced TV screens, it was revolutionary. Caristi said it is all part of a continuous cycle.

While some are calling the end of “American Idol” the “end of an era,” it truly is not.

What it is, is a shift in the cycle. “‘The Voice’ is doing quite well,” Caristi said.

This is truly not the end of “American Idol” as it has branches in numerous other countries in the world. Even if Idol ends in America, the market for talent competition is still as strong as ever.

elements; patterns and things that don’t normally go together are what capture his style most. He draws inspiration for his creations from simple things like a color, a song, a rhythm or even the movement of the air.

Atkinson said he found he designs for the underdog — his muse.

He is currently working on a collection with fellow fashion student Camilla Johnson, which is inspired by his French and African roots. He said he hopes to use this collection to base a portfolio around.

The show is set to debut in spring of next year with a theme of stepping away from the mindset of the

everyday consumer.

Atkinson said he has strong views on the fashion industry and where he sees it heading. To Atkinson, the world is full of fast fashion, and clothes don’t mean as much as they used to.

“We throw them away after a certain amount of time, so they no longer have that quality that they once had,” he said. “They’ve become more disposable.”

Atkinson said, in the future, he hopes society becomes more aware of the product by caring more about the fabrics and quality of the clothes and how much work is spent to make them, rather than throwing them out.

Although most design students hope to own their own companies and houses, Atkinson wants to one day work on the design team for Nike, whether it is in the United States or abroad, in addition to doing freelance work.

He said he is drawn to the brand because of its innovative use of technology.

“They make pieces for performance,” he said.

As a consumer of their product, Atkinson said working for Nike would be the best way to get his foot in the door in terms of the fashion industry, as well as build inspiration for his own future solo career.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CARLAS BOGUE

The Archery Club at Ball State is a new club this spring. Carlas Bogue, a sophomore entrepreneurial management major, is the president and founder of the club after being competitive in archery since 2008.

Following their arrows Student archers ready themselves for competition

|

ALEXANDRA SMITH GENERAL REPORTER ajsmith9@bsu.edu

Archery isn’t just for Katniss Everdeen and Robin Hood. One Ball State club has brought the sport to students.

Carlas Bogue is the president and founder of the archery club. Bogue has shot competitive archery since 2008 and has a passion for the sport. Add to this the knowledge of other schools offering similar clubs, he started the club in spring 2015.

“I took two years off before starting college and knew collegiate-level sports were out of the question for me,” Bogue said. “I wanted something to be passionate about and to find other students with the same passion.”

Audrey Hall is the club secretary. She said she joined the club in order to add to her campus experience.

“I had not previously been involved with many groups or events on campus and was familiar with archery,” Hall said. “I had done archery before in middle school gym class.”

The club practices two times a week at No Limits AV. There are eight lanes, so the amount of time each person gets to shoot depends on how many people participate on a particular day. Less people means less time waiting in line and more time practicing.

During practice, the archers are simply trying to better themselves, Bogue said. They use what are called field arrow points, which have no blades. The only purpose is to penetrate the paper target at the end of the lane.

To shake things up at practice, archers will play tic-tac-toe, shoot balloons or use 3-D animal targets.

Hall enjoys the friendly atmosphere of the club.

She has met many different people and enjoys seeing them improve.

“If there is one sport that doesn’t discriminate or judge, I feel that it is archery,” she said. “There is not anyone excluding someone for not doing well and no pressure to compete with others.”

The club does compete and is currently preparing for Indoor Nationals, Feb. 26-28, in Ohio.

The event is hosted by USA Archery, the same organization affiliated with the Olympics. Competing on the collegiate level, the club will face schools such as Purdue and Ohio State.

Other competitions in the spring include Outdoor Regionals, which take place Apr. 15-17 in Dublin, Ohio, and Outdoor Nationals, which occur May 19-22 in Lansing, Mich. Both competitions host long-distance shooting events.

Originally, the club had 40 to 50 archers a week, Bogue said. However, numbers have dropped due to the club not being

able to shoot on campus. The archers have to drive almost 40 minutes to Winchester, Ind., in order to practice.

Practices have since been moved to No Limits AV in Muncie, and Bogue hopes the change will draw in more students. “[The archery club] was just allocated money to play archery tag on campus,” he said. “It’s like paintball, [and] all the arrows have foam tips on them so it’s not dangerous at all. Hopefully this

gets more people aware of the club.”

Hall said she felt included when she joined the archery club. She said club members pride themselves on keeping everything friendly.

“Archery in itself is fun because, essentially, you only have to compete against yourself, even if you aren’t interested in competition,” Hall said. “[But] when someone is shooting really well, the morale of the group as a whole makes it that much more enjoyable.”

EMENS AUDITORIUM TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 02 | 7:30 TICKETS BSU STUDENTS: | $12 ADULTS: $30 | $35 | $40 | $45 YOUTH (18 & ): $15 | $20 | $20 | $25

FRIDAY, JAN. 29, 2016 | THE BALL STATE DAILY NEWS | BALLSTATEDAILY.COM | PAGE 5

NEWS

UNIVERSITY PROGRAM WELCOMES DROPOUTS

ay, D s ’ e n i t en This Val ies... v o m t u bo forget a

O L C A T O H C & Chill E

DN FILE PHOTO SAMANTHA BRAMMER

‘Back to Ball State’ gives 2nd chance to former students

|

ALLIE KIRKMAN MULTICULTURAL REPORTER aekirkman@bsu.edu

Ball State is pushing to get college dropouts back in school.

More than 750,000 Indiana residents — 22 percent of the state’s working-age adults — have attended some college but quit before completing their degrees, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal.

“The two most common reasons students drop out are typically due to family responsibilities with students having children and financial problems where they may not have the funds they need,” said Sam Snideman, director of government relations at Ball State.

“It’s dependent on the student and their individual circumstances.”

Indiana’s colleges and universities, along with the state’s higher education officials, want to change that and bring those students back to school.

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education has created an initiative that will be set in the early spring to reach out to those students who have dropped out and offer them a second chance in pursuing their degrees.

The state is advocating fi-

nancial incentives, flexible schedules and other perks be made available to adults whom need the help, with the hope of creating a stronger, more educated workforce and helping Hoosiers advance in life, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal.

Some colleges are offering financial aid to returning students, as well as forgiving them for past, poor grades.

Ball State is one of those colleges that has already reached out to students through the “Back to Ball State” program, where dropouts have the opportunity to return to school either on campus or through the online and distance education programs.

The program’s process works similarly to transferring. Transcripts will transfer over and feature only passing grades to give students a chance at a fresh start.

“This program was designed as an effort to reach out to students who have left the university within the past five years and to provide them the resources and help they might need to come back,” Snideman said. “We want to get these students through the road blocks that kept them away.”

“Back to Ball State” launched in April 2015 when the university reached out to more than 3,500 students, said Staci Davis, executive director of online and distance education.

Only two semesters in,

the program take-up rate is at 3 percent. Fifteen students have successfully gone through the program and earned their degrees.

“The goal was to help students come back, and to have 15 student graduates already, I consider a success,” Davis said. “It takes a lot for someone to return back to school.”

Davis emphasized the bigger picture regarding earning a college degree.

“As a citizen of the state, it’s important to better our lives through education,” Davis said. “When we do that, we better our economy, employment rates and our overall community. It’s important for the state to have more qualified students and workers.”

College graduates earn an average of $1 million more over their lifetimes and lower their risk of unemployment by half than those without a degree, according to a commission report. A college degree, the commission says, “provides a passport to prosperity and opportunity.”

Snideman said the university will continue improving the program and attracting more dropouts to come back to Ball State.

“We are driving toward better education outcomes and are committed to doing what we can to bring back Cardinals,” Snideman said. “We want them to know that Ball State will always be there to support and encourage them toward that degree.”

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PAGE 6 |FRIDAY, JAN. 29, 2016 | THE BALL STATE DAILY NEWS | BALLSTATEDAILY.COM

SPORTS

TODAY Men’s volleyball travels to the east coast to take on the New Jersey Institute of Technology at 7 p.m.

SPORTS@BSUDAILYNEWS.COM TWITTER.COM/DN_SPORTS

SATURDAY Men’s basketball plays host to topranked Akron at Worthen Arena starting at 1 p.m.

Women’s basketball takes on Ohio directly after the men’s game concludes at Worthen Arena.

Ball State to host MAC-leading Ohio Cardinals, Bobcats both sit in top 50 of NCAA RPI ranks

Ball State women’s basketball will host Ohio University in a clash of Mid-American Conference leaders – the Cardinals (14-4, 6-1 MAC) are on top of the MAC West standings and the Bobcats (16-3, 8-0 MAC) are first in the MAC East.

Both teams are ranked in the top 50 in the NCAA’s RPI rankings, and Cardinal head coach Brady Sallee said it would also be a game of conflicting styles.

“There’s no doubt it’s going to be a game of can our inside play beat their perimeter play,” he said. “We’ve got to

be better at what we do than they are at what they do.”

Ball State focuses on interior play – the Cardinals lead the MAC in both shooting percentage (43.7 percent) and rebounding margin (plus-seven rebounds per game).

Ohio, on the other hand, has attempted 585 three-point shots this season, 135 more than any other team in the MAC and 236 more than Ball State. Sallee said it can be difficult to prepare for such a unique system.

“It’s kind of like playing against the option in football,” he said. “You practice one way the whole season and then you gotta kind of get out of that mode when they spread it out.”

In their last meeting in Athens, Ohio, on Jan. 6, the Bobcats beat Ball State, 73-48.

The Cardinals turned the ball over 26 times in the game and only forced 11 from Ohio.

Sallee said he thinks Ball

State needs to be “the best Ball State we can be” in order to beat the Bobcats.

“We’ve gotta find our way to get more possessions, but I don’t know that turnovers is it,” he said. “The key is going to be us taking care of it and then getting to the offensive boards a little more and hopefully getting more possessions because of that.”

Over the last few games, different Cardinals have stepped up outside of their

usual roles – freshman guard Carmen Grande averages 5.4 points per game but led the team with 18 against Bowling Green, sophomore forward Frannie Frazier averages 3.2 rebounds per game and led the Cardinals with 9 rebounds coming off the bench against Eastern Michigan.

Sallee said the well-rounded performances are, hopefully, a glimpse of the near future.

“Honestly, that’s what we’re trying to look like in March,” he said. “It’s a work in progress and if we do ever get it there, I think we’ve got as good of a chance as anybody to win [the MAC].”

Still, said Sallee, before they can focus on March the Cardinals have to get past Ohio University on Saturday.

“You just lose sight on what’s important,” he said.

“This game counts the same as all of the other ones….

Ohio’s just the next opponent, albeit a really good one.”

drew in 1,564 spectators, leaving nearly 1,000 fans without a seat.

Irving Gym only accommodated 600 people, which had previously worked as the team’s old averages were 500-600 fans per meet.

Drawing a continuous increased attendance throughout the season, the gymnastics team needed to relocate to allow for more spectators to comfortably attend the team’s meets.

After undergoing a total floor resurfacing over the summer, the Ball State gymnastics team was able

to finally call Worthen Arena its new home. Worthen Arena accommodates up to 11,500 spectators and allows the team to interact with the fans through the use of video boards, lighting and music. Saleem said the new location creates an overall exciting environment for everyone.

Senior Denasiha Christian stressed the importance of the fans.

“We’ve always been told that the younger girls may want to be college gymnasts, so it’s a really big honor to have fans that look up to us,” Christian said. “So

we do it for them.”

The gymnasts have been pleased as they continue to build a bigger fan base because fans play a big role in the success of the team.

“Home meets are the best strictly because of how the fans interact,” senior Erin Patchey said. “We love when they are loud. We love when they cheer. It is cool to look up when you are down on the floor and see a wall of fans.”

Already off to a strong start to the season with a 2-1 record at home, the team believes the extra room will be especially ben-

eficial in preparing for the Mid-American Conference championships in March, where the Cardinals will host six other conference teams in Worthen Arena.

“We have a little bit more space down on the competition floor,” Saleem said. “It’s going to make it so much easier when it comes to MAC because we are going to have already competed in that venue, which is nice.”

Ball State is on the road until Feb. 14, when they return home to host a quadmeet against Kentucky, Kent State and Lindenwood.

|

COLIN GRYLLS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL REPORTER @Colin_Grylls

DN FILE PHOTO BREANNA DAUGHERTY

Ball State women’s basketball will host Ohio University on Saturday. Freshman guard Carmen Grande is averaging 5.4 points per game this season.

BALL STATE VS. OHIO BALL STATE RPI RANKING:

45

OHIO RPI RANKING:

35

BALL STATE FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE (RANK IN MAC):

43.7 percent (1st)

OHIO FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE (RANK IN MAC):

33.7 percent (1st)

Gymnasts enjoy atmosphere at Worthen Arena Irving Gymnasium held just 600 fans per home meet

|

ROSS ROTHSCHILD GYMNASTICS REPORTER rcesptein@bsu.edu

Ball State gymnastics outgrew its previous home in Irving Gym, located in the Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center, so it moved locations this season.

The team now performs at Worthen Arena, like

many other athletic teams at Ball State.

“I was hoping that when we got down there, we would have more of an event-type atmosphere, and that has definitely happened,” head coach Joanna Saleem said. “You can turn the lights off and [make use of] the spotlights. I love that it is fun for the crowd to be able to participate. It is important for the fans to enjoy the event and want to come back”.

Last season brought in record-breaking numbers for the Cardinals. In the 2015 season opener, the team

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FRIDAY, JAN. 29, 2016 | THE BALL STATE DAILY NEWS | BALLSTATEDAILY.COM | PAGE 7

SPORTS

NFL:

| CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Wenning communicated with some of his former wide receivers, knowing that they were either on campus or nearby. Snead is taking classes at Ball State to finish his degree, while Canadian Football League receiver Jamill Smith lives in Muncie during the offseason.

The three pros remain in contact with each other, as well as a few teammates who are still at Ball State.

A pair of soon-to-be senior wide receivers, KeVonn Mabon and Efe Scott-Emuakpor, were informed of the workout as well. While the setup was “random,” Scott-Emuakpor knew it would benefit him.

“When we get in here, we’re about our business, trying to get better,” Scott-Emuakpor said.

The day began with Wenning and Snead playing catch along the wall of the Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center turf field while Smith, Mabon and Scott-Emuakpor ran ladder drills and stretched.

After they warmed up, the receivers lined up on the right side of the field and began running routes, which were met with bullet passes from Wenning.

Smith embraced the opportunity to return to Ball State and work out with

DN PHOTOS COLIN GRYLLS

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Keith Wenning prepares to pass the ball in the Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center. Wenning and Willie Snead, a receiver for the New Orleans Saints, were two of several current and former Ball State players that got together on Wednesday for an unofficial offseason workout.

some of his old teammates, with whom he hasn’t played in full pads since Jan. 4, 2015.

“It feels great, these were the people I grinded with,” Smith said. “We were doing this every day [in college] even when we didn’t have to.”

The group of five began the session at noon, but Wenning, “figured some of the receivers still here would be around,” and willing to run routes. And they were.

Wenning sent out a tweet, and a few more current Cardinal players started showing up.

Upcoming sophomore

Devin Reece and senior Aaron Hepp came in to catch some passes from Wenning.

“I wasn’t expecting them to be out here, but they came out, and it was good for them because they are up and coming in the program,” Mabon said. “They’re going to be here when we leave, so we need people like that to get the experience that we got today.”

It’s a unique experience — especially at Ball State — for receivers to have a personal connection to professional athletes. It’s even more rewarding that those professionals are so willing to re-

turn to campus.

“It’s really good to get out here with the guys,” Snead said. “Being able to give our knowledge to them so that they can use it now, some stuff that we didn’t know.”

Throughout the session, Snead and Wenning talked to the younger guys to help them improve their routes.

And, of course, there was a little fun.

Each one called each other by a nickname and teased when there was a dropped ball, but they wouldn’t allow a route with an incompletion.

Snead led the session by

sharing what each receiver can do differently. He even lined up as a cornerback for the young guys to get around him.

As the session winded down, the receivers became antsy and wanted the long-ball down the sideline. Wenning made sure he got through all of his different routes, then complied.

As the group finished up the workout, Wenning assured them that he’d be back for more in the future.

“I’ll be back and forth from Muncie a few times this offseason to work out and

throw. … I don’t know when that will be exactly,” Wenning said.

But before the session ended, Snead stopped Wenning mid-stride, pointing one-finger in the air and indicated that he wanted one more pass.

The route-running workout was set up to end just how it began, with a pass from Wenning to Snead. As the ball went over Snead’s left shoulder into his outstretched arms, he completed the near-perfect catch off the near-perfect throw.

Just like when they played together at Ball State.

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Today’s Birthday (01/29/16).

Your touch seems golden this year. Strengthen foundations, especially for shared accounts.

Spring profits surge, opening doors for a two-year study and travel phase (after Jupiter enters Libra, 9/9). A breakthrough in family finances over autumn impacts your cash flow. Secure what you have.

Share love and gratitude.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

(c) 2015, by Nancy Black. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is a 9.

Professional advice comes in handy. Don’t take on more work before handling what you have. Keep your head low, and get quietly productive. Provide well for family. Follow the rules exactly. Forgive miscommunications.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is a 7. Talk is cheap. Don’t believe everything you hear.

Miscommunications are likely ... keep your patience and speak clearly. Avoid stepping on anyone.

Keep it simple. Illuminate the backstory. Do the homework, and summarize your conclusions.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is a 7.

Complications arise from an unforeseen direction.

Friends are there for you. Let them know what you need. Your connections have the resources that would make a difference. Allow others to contribute to you. Reciprocate later.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is an 8. Watch for hidden surprises at work. Practice your speech ahead of time or at least outline what you want to say. Don’t gamble needlessly. Partner with someone experienced. Allow extra time for delays.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 7. Abandon a preconception. Assumptions can prove false.

Postpone a financial discussion and pay bills before purchasing equipment. The numbers may not be as they seem. Don’t advertise your winnings.

Go for transparency and integrity.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is an 8.

Professional issues have your focus. Prepare for a test or a challenge. Enjoy a business trip, conference or group event. Choose your words carefully. Avoid ambiguity or double-speak. Aim for clarity.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is an 8.

There’s extra cash available over the next two days. Make preparations carefully. Financial miscommunications could get costly ... take it slow.

Don’t let it destroy your domestic tranquility. It’s a choice to be grateful.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is a 9. Your studies are proving fruitful. Take a trip for a deeper look. Enjoy museums, libraries and archives. Bring along a good conversationalist. Play up the love factor, and share an exploration. Write up your conclusions.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 5. Relax in peace and quiet over the next few days. Keep a low profile, in frugal simplicity. Consider the road traveled, and make future plans. Take time to notice the sunset. Give thanks for small kindnesses and gifts.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 7. Do the numbers to find ways to save. Financial miscommunications could get costly... take it slow and clearly. Ignore hearsay, gossip and rumors.

Play the game exactly by the book. Maintain domestic tranquility.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Today is an 8. You can have fun without spending much. Postpone chores.

Gather together with friends and family. Play and explore. Add music. Share a movie and some food.

Relax and love creeps in.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Today is a 7. It’s busy at home. Help others to see the bigger picture.

Misunderstandings are possible. Take the time to sort them out. Apply elbow grease to a home improvement. Create a safe path forward.

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FORUM

Got beef? Join the conversation. Email us at opinion@bsudailynews.com to get your voice out there.

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THE CASE OF THE MYSTERIOUS COUCH STENCH RACHEL PODNAR PODNAR’S PARTY

RACHEL PODNAR IS A SENIOR JOURNALISM MAJOR AND WRITES “PODNAR’S PARTY” FOR THE DAILY NEWS. HER VIEWS DO NOT NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THOSE OF THE NEWSPAPER. WRITE TO RACHEL AT RMPODNAR@ BSU.EDU.

It all started on Jan. 8, when my boyfriend and I returned to Muncie from Winter Break.

That’s when Kevin, my boyfriend, told me he noticed a weird smell in his apartment but he didn’t know what it was.

He told me he wanted to go to T.J. Maxx and buy a new candle. But the next day, he went to see the new “Star Wars” movie with some friends and we didn’t go to T.J. Maxx.

When I finally visited his apartment, I did notice a weird smell, but I didn’t think anything of it because I couldn’t place it.

We watched Netflix on his couch.

Kevin is a wildlife biology major and sometimes his major comes home with him. Like the time he went pheasant hunting, cleaned pheasant breast in the sink and tried to preserve some pheasant feathers. Another time, he cut the heads off of hunted deer for a class and the smell of deer blood lingered in his house.

By now, I’ve learned to just let it go when I smell something weird because I know it will resolve itself.

And so we progressed with our evening routine during that first week of school. If I went to his apartment, we mentioned the smell but tried to get past it.

His sense of smell isn’t as good as mine and it always bothered me more. I thought the festering odor was getting worse.

I thought repeatedly of Phoebe from “Friends” singing “Smelly Cat,” and inside my head I changed it to “Smelly Couch.” Kevin didn’t get the reference.

One night, I stuck my nose around the apartment, checking for pieces of decaying food or a wayward odor from a vent. But the apartment was remarkably clean, as always. It really seemed like the worst of the smell was in the couch. We wondered if some liquid leaked in over break and spoiled.

Another week went by.

The weekend of Jan. 16, we celebrated our two-year anniversary. After our romantic date of deep dish pizza and Indy Fuel hockey, we went back to his apartment to try some new craft beers

DN ILLUSTRATIONS STACIE KAMMERLING

we snagged at Friendly Package. We closed our romantic date by watching the always romantic “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”

“I can’t take it,” I said between episodes. “It smells terrible in here.”

We tried to find the smell yet again.

This time, we opened up the couch (which is also a futon) and Kevin grabbed the cleaning spray. He sprayed the whole inside of the couch and, honestly, it didn’t seem like it smelled that bad in there.

As we snuggled back up for another episode, my nostrils were once again filled with the indiscernible odor.

But I chose love. And I breathed through my mouth.

On the following Tuesday, I told him I could come over to his house, forgetting that this meant I would have to sit on the couch.

Again, he couldn’t smell the problem as bad as I could. I chose to breathe through my infinity scarf pulled up near my face, but I vowed not to return until the smell was taken care of.

On Wednesday night, we split a monster margarita from Puerta al Pariso in The Village, but we got there too late and the kitchen was closed. While my dreams of a margarita with tequila were more or less fulfilled, my stomach’s dreams of a taco or chips and salsa were crushed.

Luckily, Kevin had my back. Or, um, he had pizza rolls.

We went back to the apartment.

It looked like a crime scene.

The futon was completely open on the floor and a hunting knife laid on the desk.

That afternoon, Kevin had cut the bottom of the couch open and found nothing.

“You might have to do a smell test on it,” he said to me.

The night was supposed to be about a girl and a margarita, and maybe some pizza rolls, just like how our anniversary was supposed to be about two people and a pizza, but each time, the couch got in the way. This smelly couch had a nasty habit of taking center stage.

It was time.

Kevin started cooking the pizza rolls and I started smelling the couch.

I started with the cushions, which were on the floor. One definitely smelled worse than the other, but it was not the origin of the smell.

Then, I smelled the arm of the couch closest to me, farthest from the wall.

It’s the arm of the side of the couch I always sit near.

Of course it smelled terrible. But it smelled worse than yesterday, or at least it seemed to.

I stuck my face in the bottom of the middle of the couch. No dice. Then to the outside of the arm I had just smelled. Bad. Very bad.

I move my nose to a different part of

the same arm of the couch. Not as bad.

“I’m getting closer,” I said.

After I moved my nose around a few times (and took a few heinous breaths), I found the absolute worst smell I’ve encountered in the past two weeks. This wasn’t just a “moldy/whatever” causal couch odor situation. It was real.

Kevin put on his headlamp and grabbed the knife.

He laid down on the floor and went back to the opening he had already created, looking at the inside of the couch.

I did a cursory glance, half expecting to find a pit of black tar or a dead cat.

Nothing. A dead end.

I ran my hand along the surface of the couch arm and sensed a small, abnormal bump, about the size of a small animal.

We had found it. Kevin went to grab a pair of gloves. I went back to the microwave to finish the pizza rolls.

He found another layer of the inside of the couch he hadn’t cut into yet. A minute went by, and nothing.

Two minutes.

Three minutes.

“You’ve been going at that spot for three minutes and haven’t pulled out a single piece of organic material?” I said, seriously doubting his credentials as a wildlife major.

But then, he found it.

“Oh. Yep, that’s it,” he said, pulling a small handful out of the couch. “It’s a shrew!”

I have a serious aversion to rodents and I shouldn’t have looked, but I did, quickly.

I can still see the ball-ed up corpse of the poor shrew and it’s dead black eyes, too large for its tiny body.

It had been decomposing in Kevin’s futon for at least 15 days, while I unwittingly leaned against it.

The shrew was, indeed, found on the side of the couch where I often sit. So, while my nose may be more talented than Kevin’s, I had been sitting right next to the little bugger the whole time.

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